Tracing table



June 6, 1950 v MCKINNEY 2,510,124

meme TABLE Filed Aug. 2, 1946 INVEN TOR. HA/PZE Y P. MF/f/lV/VE A TTOkA/E Y8.

Patented June 6, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TRACING TABLE Application August 2, 1946, Serial No. 687,925

4 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in ap paratus for tracing operations involving the placing of translucent tracing paper in superimposed relation to a translucent object having a light source arranged therebehind to make the matter to be traced visible on the tracing paper, the primary object of my invention being to provide a tracing table having a top provided with a lighted transparency upon which the superimposed tracing paper and sheet containing the matter to be traced are to be laid, together with means for adjusting the area and shape of the transparency, whereby the tracing light may be confined more exactly to the matter to be traced.

Another important object of my invention is to provide tracing apparatus of the character indicated above which greatly facilitates the operation of tracing by enabling more exact and detailed tracings to be made more quickly and with less effort.

Another important object of my invention is to provide a tracing table of the character indicated above which is especially suitable for use by school children, for learning through tracing, the exact outlines of geometric and other figures and outlines, including writing.

Other important objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein for illustrative purposes only, a preferred embodiment of my invention is set forth in detail.

In the drawings-- Figure 1 is an end elevation of said embodiment, partly broken away to show interior construction.

Figure 12 is a top plan view thereof.

Figure 3 is an enlarged substantially central vertical transverse sectional view taken therethrough.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the herein illustrated embodiment of my invention comprises a table frame including upright legs 4 at each corner, connected together at front and rear by upper longitudinal members 5 and 6, respectively, and at the opposite ends by upper transverse members i, l. The said members, as shown in Figure 2, are set inwardly with respect to the outer sides of the legs 5.

A bar 8, connected at its ends to the transverse members i, 1, is spaced below the upper edges of the said members and extends along the longitudinal middle of the table frame.

The top 9 of the table which is of glass or other suitable transparent material, rests upon the tops of the legs 4 and upon the upper edges of the members 5, 6 and l, l and may be secured thereon in any suitable manner.

The middle of the front portion of the table top has spacedly supported thereunder an elongated semi-cylindrical transversely arranged reflector Iii, which has a flange ll attached by suitable means It to the lower edge of the bar 8, and a similar forward longitudinal member l2 which is secured to and between the end members Z. A centralized electric lamp [4 mounted horizontally in the reflector is supported from back of the reflector, and provided with suitable connections (not shown) for plugging into an outlet socket.

For adjusting the size and shape of the lighted transparency provided by the area of the table top 9 illuminated by the lamp M and reflector I0, I have provided the two longitudinally shiftable opaque plates :5 and H5, respectively, and the single transversely movable opaque plate I1. These plates may be made of metal or of other suitably stiff opaque material which is heat resistant with respect to the heat generated by the lamp and deflector.

The plates l5 and i 6 are transversely elongated and relatively narrow and have their front edges secured to blocks l8 and i9, respectively, located between the members 5 and 12, said blpcks having forwardly projecting han les 28 which extend slidably through longitudinal slots 2i formed in the front longitudinal member 5, so that either or both of these slides can be moved to increase or decrease the width of the transparency or to shift the effective portion of the transparency to one side or the other. The rear edge portions of the plates 55 and it rest slidably on the top of the longitudinal member 8.

The plate H, which is wider than the plates I5, and It, has on its rear edge a flange 22 fixed to the back of a longitudinal bar 23 which has handle equipped rods 2i and 25 projecting forwardly from the ends thereof and extending through holes 2 3 and 21, formed in the front longitudinal table member 5 and cross member I2, respectively, outside the handles 28. rods 24 and 25 are slidably supported also in holes 26 in the cross member 8, respectively, with the front part of the plate ll slidably supported upon the plates l5 and It. By pulling out or pushing in the rods 24, 25, the length or height of the aperture of the transparency defined by the inner edges of the plates 55 and it may be varied. It is obvious that the maximum area of the transparency in any case is subtended by the area of the open upper end of the re- The.

selected portion thereof, whereby maximum trac-' ing light 'is afforded upon the part to be traced,

and rear bars spaced below said top and sup ported from said end members behind and parallel to said front member, a reflector including a lamp suspended from said bars to direct li ht upwardly through said table top and define a lighted tracing region thereon upon which a sheet containing the matter to be traced and a superimposed tracing sheet are to be laid, a pairof laterally movable opaque slides slidably mounted on said bars and shiftable toward and awayfrom each other from opposite sides of said reflector so as to reduce the effective width of said tracing region of the table top, and a single transversely movable opaque slide supportedby said bars and slidably overlying said pair of slides, said transversely movable slide beingshiftable toward said front member to reduce the length or height of the tracing region as limited by the adjus merit of said laterally shiftable slides.

2. Tracing apparatus comprising a table frame including a .front upper member and end upper members, and legs depending therefrom, a translucent top mounted upon said members, a pair of bars spaced below said top and supported from said end members behind and parallel to said front member, a reflector including a lamp suspended from said bars to direct light upwardly through said table top and define a lighted tracing region thereon upon which a sheet containing the matter to be traced and a superimposed tracing sheet are to be laid, a pair of laterally movable opaque slides slidably mounted on said bars. and shiftable toward and away from each other from opposite sides of said reflector so as to reduce the effective width of said tracing region of the table top, and a single transversely movable opaque slide supported from said bars between and slidably overlying said pair of slides, said transversely movable slide being shiftable toward said front member to reduce the length or height of the tracing region as limited by the adjustment of said laterally shiftable slides, blocks secured to depend from the front edges of said laterally movable slides between said front member and said bars and handles on said blocks slidably projecting through horizontal slots formed in said front member.

3. Tracing apparatus comprising a table frame including a front upper member and end upper members, and legs depending therefrom, a translucent top mounted upon said members, a pair of bars spaced below said top and supported from said end members behind and parallel to said front member, a reflector including a lamp suspended from said bars to direct light upwardly through said table top and define a lighted tracing region thereon upon which a sheet containing the matter to be traced and a superimposed tracing sheet are to be laid, a pair of laterally movable opaque slides slidably mounted on said bars and shiftable toward and away from each other from opposite sides of said reflector so as to reduce the effective width of said tracing region of the table top, and a single transversely movable opaque slide supported from said bars andslidably overlying said pair of slides, said transversely movable slide being shiftable toward said front member to reduce the length or height of the tracing region as limited by the adjustment of .said laterally shiftableslides, said transversely movable slide having forwardly projecting rods slidable in openings formed in said pair of bars and in said front member.

4. Tracing apparatus comprising a table frame including a front upper member and end upper members, and legs depending therefrom, a translucent top mounted upon said members, a pair of bars spaced below said top and supported from said end members behind and parallel to said frontmember, a reflector including a lamp suspended from said bars to direct light upwardly through said table top and define a lighted tracing region thereon upon which a sheet containing the matter to be traced and a superimposed tracing sheet are to be laid, a pair of laterally movable opaque slides slidably mounted onsaid bars and shiftable toward and away from each other from-opposite sides of said reflector so as to reduce the effective width of said tracing region of thetabletop, and a single transversely movableiopaqu e slide supported from said bars and slidably overlyingsaid pairxof slides, said transversely movable slidebeing-shiftable toward said front member to reduce the length or height ofthe tracing region, as limited by the adjus ment of said laterally shiftable slides, a longitudinal bar on said single slide having forwardly projecting rods slidable in openings formed in said pair of bars and in said front member.

HARLEY R.-.McKINNEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,113,263 Ulrich Oct. 13, 1914 1,887,288 Clausen Nov..8, .1932 2,245,527 Grabfield June 10, 1941 2,256,894 Chadkin Sept. 23, 1941 2,392,502 Potter Jan. 8, 1946 

